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Here’s How Surplus Lines Business Is Doing

Market competition is having an impact on all property/casualty insurers even surplus lines insurers. Even so the surplus line industry inched up direct written premiums by 2.8 percent in 2016 compared to a 2.5 percent growth in 2015. More standard lines carriers continue to compete for traditional surplus lines accounts and the environment has made it difficult for even the most disciplined surplus lines writers to grow, says David Blades, co-author of the A.M. Best’s annual Special Report, “Surplus Lines Continue to Overcome Market Pressures.” While a number of surplus lines carriers saw declines in premium in 2016, some of the top leaders managed a modest uptick.